Abstract

The literature has been critically reviewed in order to assess the current various techniques applied in controlling landfill gas emission and leachate generation in landfills, while also taking into cognizance the methods applied in generating energy from biomass and the energy generation potency from landfills. Landfills serve as a simple and very economic means of disposing solid waste, but they also have negative impact on the environment, which includes the emission of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) such as methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) and leachate generation. Various technologies have been employed to enhance the quality of emissions from landfills in order to reduce the environmental as well as the social impact caused by landfills. There has been an increased practice of revegetation on landfill sites in order to enhance environmental sustainability and in turn trees further serve as sources of biomass used for energy generation. This study presents a review of the various techniques applied in controlling landfill gas emission and leachate generation in landfills, taking also into cognizance the methods applied in generating energy from biomass and the energy generation potency from landfills. Phytocapping, phytostabilization, anaerobic digestion, pretreatment of solid wastes and waste co-digestion are other technologies that have been used to enhance the recovery of biogas from solid wastes.

Keywords:

Biomass, greenhouse gas emission, phytocapping, revegetation, solid waste,

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